Apparatus for distilling wood



(No Model.) v

C. J. T. BURCEY.

lAPPARATUS, FOR DISTILLING WOOD, &@. No. 245,936, 3' Patented Aug. 23,1881l Z. '1 Zf .7;

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. T. BUROEY, OF BINGHAMION, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING WOOD, SLC.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,936, dated August' 23, 1881.

Application filed April 19, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known'that I, CHARLES J. T. BUR- GEY, of Binghamton, in the county ot' Broome and State ot' New York, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Distilling /Vood, Src., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of apparatus used for distilling wood in the manufacturs of wood-spirit, pyroligneous acid, tar, e., and has for its object to uniformly heat theretorts throughout their entire extent, prevent overheating or burning, facilitate access to the tire-place for repairs, and eeonomize fuel.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional elevation of a wood-distilling apparatus illustrating my invention; Fig. 2, a section on line l 2,Fig. l; and Fig. 3,asection on the line 3 4, Fig. 1.

W represents a stack ot' masonry, in which are built a central longitudinal chamber, X, and two cylindrical chambers, Y, on opposite sides of the chamber X, and two longitudinal lues, Y V, parallel to the chamber X, and communicating through vertical branches a with the chambers Y, and a rear cross-flue, Gr, connecting the ues V Y and communicating with a suitable uptake.

In each chamber Y, concentric therewith, but smaller in diameter, so as to leave a surrounding iiue, b, is a cylindrical vessel, X, the front end of which is provided with a door, M, and the rear end of which communicates through a pipe, d, with one or more condensers, N N, of any suitable shape, a pipe,f, discharging the liquid mattei' from the condensers, and a pipe, g, forked at the -lower end, communieating with the top of the pipef, and extending` through the front wall into the chamber X above a grate, 7L, which divides said chamber into a lire-place, L, and ash-pit H. The side walls,pp, ot' the chamber X are in contact each with the adjacent side of the adjaceutvessel K, and in an arch, E, sprungacross these walls over the lire-place, and abutting on said vessels, are openings l to 8, formed by leaving out intermediatebricks. (See Figs. 2 and 3.)

'Ihe fire-place and Iash-pit, as well as the lues VV, are provided with doors. There are also openings in the front wall, closed by covers, through which the opposite tlues and spaces may be cleaned, while a central opening, pro- (No model.)

vided with a suitable cover, permits the lireplace to be. inspected during the distilling operations. r

In the branch fines a are dampers F, which may be turned by handles projecting through the front wall. The pipeg terminates in a tube, fw, int which projects a tube, u, com municating with a pipe, q, leading to a tar-vat, and into the tube u extends a small pipe, s, that communicates with a pipe, 7c, through which steam or air under pressure is supplied. The

end of the pipe s terminates in arose, or being finely perforated.

The wood or other matter to be distilled is introduced into the vessels K, a tire is kindled in the lire-place, and the dampers F turned so as to cause the incandescent gases to pass through the openings 1 to 8 and annular lines Y, round the vessels, and thence through the branches a and flues V G to the uptake.

Owing to theconstruction ot' the parts described, the'gases will almost completely encircle the receptacles K, but so slowly as to impart the greater portion of their heat to the same, thereby producing` a uniform temperature throughout the whole extent, but without bringing the flame directly in contact with the vessels, thereby preventing any burning ot' the latter. The acid and spirit are condensed and flow through the pipes f as liquids; but the gaseous matter will iiow back through the pipe g to the fire-place, where it is forced forward by the jet of steam or air and intimately combined with the latter, and, if necessary, with a supply of tar, the whole forming a mixture which in burning will a'ord a large volume ot' hot gas, and as long as the distillationv is continued constitutes the main supply of fuel.

Each pipe g q 7c has a cock to regulate the supply passing through the same.

By adjusting the dampers F the How ot' gas and heat imparted to the receptacles may be readily regulated, thereby insuring such a steady and uniform action as will enable me to secure more acid with less tar and gas than by the apparatus commonly employed.

' By springing the arch over the chamber X and abutting it on the vessels K the portion of.

masonry above the chamber X'may be readily removed without breaking down the arches above the chambers Y.

Although I have shown but two receptacles,

IOO

any desired number may be placed side by side, using but one main lue to the Whole, and one chamber, X, to each pair of receptacles.

While the gases from the pipe g may be passed directly from the said pipe and burned at the end ot' the latter, I prefer a burner something of the form described, as thc forcing in of the gas by the steam or air tends to create a partial vacuum in the condensers, and aids the distillation. Owing to the uniform steady but mild heat thus obtained, a better grade of charcoal is produced, while the Whole process is economical and easily carried ont.

I do notclaim, broadly, injectingoil by means oil air or steam under pressure, nor burning the lighter products of distillation, as these are old; but by the combination described by me I am enabled to use bot-h the waste gas and the Waste tarry products. Nor do I here claim the burner for burning oil and tar, as this may form the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent.

I claim-- l. In an apparatusfor distilling Wood, a stack having a central fire-place between cylindrical chambers containing vessels K, tlues b, communicating with the fire-place near the top and nearly surrounding said vessels, and nes Y, parallel to and below said vessels and communieating with said chambers through branches ce, all as set forth.

2. The combination,in the stack, of the walls p p, inclosing the central re-chamber, X, side chambers, Y Y, vessels K, arranged therein, arch E over the chamber X, abutting on said Vessels, and lues l lto 8, forming a connection between the chambers X and Y, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subsoribin g Witnesses.

CHARLES JOSEPH THOPHILE BURCEY.

Witnesses GEO. U. EDWARDS, H. C. COLLIER. 

